NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22: Captured!
Larry scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Not really... I kind of figured it out on my own."
Menchi froze. Her mind reeled. 'Self-taught?!' She had encountered naturally gifted individuals before, but Larry discovering his own aura and honing it independently was beyond impressive. After a brief pause, she let out a deep breath and chuckled, "Well, the world is a big place. I guess anything's possible." However, a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes as she smirked and said, "If you decide to take the next Hunter Exam, you're in for a surprise."
Larry raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Sounds interesting. I'll keep that in mind." He knew Menchi would be one of the examiners next year, but he played along, smiling knowingly.
With the meal finished, the two retreated to their tents, the night sky above them filled with countless stars.
***
Three Days Later."I gotta say… our luck really sucks." Larry sighed, scanning the vast desert dunes around them. They had spent three days searching for the elusive Pale Fang Scorpion, but so far, not a single sign of their target. They had stumbled across a rare wild Gilded Claw Ant nest, but the scorpions remained as elusive as ever.
Just as they were about to move on, an unwelcome sight appeared on the horizon. A group of rough-looking individuals approached—sand pirates. Larry's gaze darkened as he assessed them. The group was clad in light armor made of animal hide, offering decent protection without sacrificing mobility. Their mounts, three-humped camels outfitted with iron plating, stomped across the sand, pulling carts loaded with stolen goods—Larry could even spot a few captured sandworms among the cargo.
Sand pirates were a notorious menace in Gordeau Desert. They thrived on preying on the weak, robbing travelers, and running at the first sign of real resistance. Larry's appearance—along with Menchi's youthful face and Gardevoir's exotic presence—made them prime targets in the pirates' eyes. Counting roughly twenty men, Larry recognized this was a mid-sized group—larger than the usual small gangs scattered across the desert.
The leader, a scar-faced man seated atop a camel, exuded arrogance as he surveyed his potential prey. Beside him, a one-eyed pirate licked his lips and nudged his boss with a smirk. "Hey, boss… that woman looks real nice. Mind if I take her for myself?" His words sent ripples of excitement through the group, with many of them chiming in, calling dibs and arguing amongst themselves.
Scarface shot the one-eyed pirate a glare and sneered, "Tch! You little punk, don't even think about it. A beauty like that is mine to enjoy!"
The crude conversation reached Larry and Menchi loud and clear. Larry sighed and rubbed his temples. He glanced at Menchi, whose face was twitching with barely contained rage. The blue veins on her forehead were visible, pulsing with fury. Casually taking a sip from his canteen, Larry asked, "So… you wanna handle this, or should I?"
Menchi took a deep breath, her face twisting into an unsettlingly sweet smile. "I'll handle it." Her footsteps crunched against the fine sand as she walked forward, each step leaving a deep imprint. The sand pirates burst into laughter, mocking her approach. Only a few of them, more experienced than the rest, instinctively gripped their weapons.
With a sharp flick of her hands, a surge of Nen burst from Menchi's palms, radiating intense pressure. In an instant, two massive silver knives and forks materialized behind her, gleaming under the sun's harsh light.
The weapons weren't just for show—their sharp edges emitted a deadly aura, and the way they hovered in the air exuded a sense of control and mastery. The pirates' laughter died down, replaced by stunned silence. Scarface narrowed his eyes.
"What... What the hell is this?!"
"Knives and forks?! How can such giant knives and forks suddenly appear?!"
"Idiot! Run for it!"
The chaotic shouts of the sand pirates didn't last long.
The moment Menchi materialized her massive knives and forks, she sent them flying toward the bandits at high speed. Each strike carried the destructive force of a grenade, tearing through their formation with terrifying precision.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of deafening explosions echoed across the desert, sending plumes of sand flying into the night sky. Within moments, the once-rowdy group of bandits was reduced to nothing but remnants buried under the shifting dunes. The same men who had laughed at Menchi just moments ago now found their laughter silenced—permanently. If there was a hell, they were already laughing there.
Larry, watching the scene unfold, couldn't help but think of a certain gourmet martial artist from Toriko, who wielded his hands like knives and forks to carve through opponents with ease. "These guys really had no idea who they were messing with," Larry muttered, shaking his head.
The sand pirates were nothing more than a minor inconvenience in their journey. Their focus remained unchanged—the elusive Pale Fang Scorpion.
Five days later... Deep in the heart of Gordeau Desert, in the eastern region of the Yorbian Continent, Larry and Menchi set up camp as nightfall approached. Over the past few days, they had only spent one night in the city, preferring to camp out in the wilderness to cover more ground. Just as Larry was about to set down his tent, a sudden alert from Gardevoir caught his attention.
"Shauna!" Gardevoir stood still, gazing intently at a spot in the sand not far away. Her usually calm expression had turned serious.
Larry's eyes followed her gaze, and under the moonlight, he saw a faint silver-white reflection shimmering on the surface of the sand. "Finally found it?!" Larry's face lit up with excitement.
Days of trekking through endless dunes, seeing nothing but sand and the occasional cactus, had nearly driven him to the edge. Menchi, equally excited, clenched her fists. "We finally found the Pale Fang Scorpion?"
After days under the harsh sun, her originally fair skin had taken on a tan. If she stayed here any longer, Larry joked to himself, she'd start blending in with the locals. Without hesitation, Gardevoir vanished from her spot and reappeared mid-air above the dunes.
A gentle breeze stirred, causing her light green hair to flutter in the moonlight. Closing her ruby-red eyes for a brief moment, she reached out with her mind. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, glowing with a soft pink hue as psychic energy surged around her arms. Despite the immense power, she controlled it with ease—there was not even a grain of sand disturbed beneath her.
Larry watched as a faint tremor rippled through the sand below. The Pale Fang Scorpion sensed danger and instinctively tried to burrow deeper, but it was too late. With a graceful flick of her wrist, Gardevoir lifted a massive Pale Fang Scorpion from the sand, encasing it in a psychic field and gently placing it in front of them.
Larry blinked in disbelief at the scorpion lying motionless, its legs twitching slightly. "I... I was ready to give up, and now it's right in front of me?"
Just as he was about to celebrate, Menchi gasped beside him. "This... This isn't an ordinary Pale Fang Scorpion!"
Larry sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I knew it was too good to be true…"